Can aerobic exercise slow down ageing?
Get Fit"Running is better than weight training at reversing signs of ageing," reports The Independent.
Researchers from Germany assessed the impact of 3 types of exercise – high intensity interval training, endurance walking or running, and weight training – on signs of ageing in human blood cells.
They found that, after 6 months of exercising for 45 minutes 3 times a week, all types of exercise improved fitness, but only interval training and running or walking had an effect on signs of cellular ageing.
The researchers measured the length of telomeres, which are protective caps at the end of chromosomes (coils of DNA found in all human cells).
Telomeres help prevent damage to the chromosomes that encode the cells' genetic information.
As we age, telomeres shorten, meaning chromosomes are more likely to get damaged. This is one of the ways in which cells show signs of age.
Previous studies have linked longer blood cell telomeres to healthier blood vessels and hearts.
The researchers found telomeres shortened slightly among people who did no exercise or weight training, but lengthened among those who ran or walked, or did interval training.
But these findings were only based on 124 people. All types of exercise have benefits for health, including weight training.
This study suggests weight training may be best seen as a useful addition to aerobic exercise, such as running or fast walking, rather than a replacement for it.
This reflects NHS advice to do both types of exercise.
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